Shadows aren't just for groundhogs

By Jareen Imam, CNN

Updated 10:33 AM ET, Mon February 4, 2013

CNN iReport shadow challenge!27 photos

Shadow challenge on Groundhog Day – iReporter Stefanie Litz of Columbus, Georgia, said her 14-month-old daughter enjoyed the beautiful winter day. "She only wanted to walk and walk and walk with her little pink flower, but it slowly lost its petals."

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CNN iReport shadow challenge!27 photos

Shadow challenge on Groundhog Day – iReporter Ilnaz Shirvani and her husband captured this photo at Seal Point Park in San Mateo, California. "I personally would love to see the spring come early," she said.

Shadow challenge on Groundhog Day – Both professional dancers, iReporter Carolyn Paine and friend Alex Zarlengo couldn't resist dancing for their shadow photo. "After taking the photo we ended up just dancing around with our shadow selves," she said. "Personally, I want spring to come as soon as possible. I hate the dark, cold winter."

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CNN iReport shadow challenge!27 photos

Shadow challenge on Groundhog Day – iReporter James Stephenson snapped this photo of himself and his daughter in front of his home in Miami Beach. "Groundhog day was beautiful and spring-like in Miami. I think we're in for good weather. Of course, that's a safe bet around here," he said.

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CNN iReport shadow challenge!27 photos

Shadow challenge on Groundhog Day – Taking a walk on the beach with her husband, iReporter Amanda Judice took this photograph in Seabrook, Texas, at 10 a.m. on Groundhog Day. "I think spring is just around the corner," she said. "Our weather today is absolutely beautiful. Big blue sky, only a slight wind and 65 degrees."

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CNN iReport shadow challenge!27 photos

Shadow challenge on Groundhog Day – Ali Her of Dallas posted this photograph while fishing at Kidd Springs Park on Groundhog Day. She's predicting an early spring.

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CNN iReport shadow challenge!27 photos

Shadow challenge on Groundhog Day – iReporter Holly Naab shot this photo of her and her puppy, Frank, at a park in Elkhorn, Nebraska. "I'm hoping for an early spring, so Frank can get outside more," she said.

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CNN iReport shadow challenge!27 photos

Shadow challenge on Groundhog Day – iReporter Lulis Leal shot this creative photo of her shadow in Cedar Grove, New Jersey, and says she is looking forward to warmer weather.

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CNN iReport shadow challenge!27 photos

Shadow challenge on Groundhog Day – iReporter Krishna Sharma took a fun spin on shadows on Groundhog Day. " I used a few sheets of white paper and tried to cut out CNN via scissors," he said.

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CNN iReport shadow challenge!27 photos

Shadow challenge on Groundhog Day – iReporter Jannet Walsh snapped this photo her shadow along with her 14-year-old dog Andrew. "It's been hard to walk the dog in the brutally cold arctic weather, as I am too cold to walk him," she said.

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CNN iReport shadow challenge!27 photos

Shadow challenge on Groundhog Day – Mike Mattson snapped this photograph on Instagram in Vancouver, Washington.

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CNN iReport shadow challenge!27 photos

Shadow challenge on Groundhog Day – Adrian Gates snapped this photograph on Instagram in Dallas, Texas.

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CNN iReport shadow challenge!27 photos

Shadow challenge on Groundhog Day – Snapping this photo of his shadow on at 9:33 a.m. in Springfield, Missouri, iReporter Michael Goodling is betting on a shorter winter.

Shadow challenge on Groundhog Day – iReporter Natalie Montanaro shot this photo of her shadow along with a horse weather vane and hourglass. "I was thinking about the "Wizard of Oz" when I spotted the hourglass near the fireplace so I put on my dancing shoes to set up a shot," she said. "I so wish that there will be an early spring."

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CNN iReport shadow challenge!27 photos

Shadow challenge on Groundhog Day – iReporter Rummel Pinera captured this photo at his home city of Muntinlupa in the Philippines. "I want spring to come earlier," he said. "It would mean an earlier summer in tropical countries like the Philippines."

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CNN iReport shadow challenge!27 photos

Shadow challenge on Groundhog Day – iReporter Jennifer Hainin took this shadow photo of her on her horse. "It would be great for spring to come early, as long as that doesn't mean that summer comes sooner," she said.

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CNN iReport shadow challenge!27 photos

Shadow challenge on Groundhog Day – Valentyn Desiatnyk took this photograph on Instagram from Kyiv, Ukraine, on Groundhog Day.

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CNN iReport shadow challenge!27 photos

Shadow challenge on Groundhog Day – iReporter Lia Ocampo took this photo of her shadow outside her home in Queens, New York.

Shadow challenge on Groundhog Day – Tara Abadir shot this photo on Instagram while on vacation in Park City, Utah.

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CNN iReport shadow challenge!27 photos

Shadow challenge on Groundhog Day – Raquel Zaldivar snapped this photo on Instagram in Miami, Florida, on Groundhog Day.

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CNN iReport shadow challenge!27 photos

Shadow challenge on Groundhog Day – Alline da Costa snapped this photograph from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, using Instagram.

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CNN iReport shadow challenge!27 photos

Shadow challenge on Groundhog Day – iReporter Kathi Cordsen captured this photo at 7:45 a.m. on Groundhog Day in Fullerton, California, and predicts it'll be a shorter winter for Californians this year.

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CNN iReport shadow challenge!27 photos

Shadow challenge on Groundhog Day – iReporter Gail Powell captured her shadow in San Diego, California. "I swim in my pool for exercise every day, rain or shine. so I am good with whatever the weather brings," she said.

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Story highlights

iReporters capture their shadows for a one-day photo challenge

Punxsutawney Phil misses his shadow on Groundhog Day

Staten Island Chuck also says spring is on the way

Saturday was Groundhog Day-- the unofficial American holiday where we wait for a fuzzy rodent to tell us whether spring will arrive early or if we'll have to endure another six weeks of winter.

Relying on the weather predictions of a groundhog may seem like a strange tradition, but the practice dates back to medieval times. The superstitious believed that hibernating animals would emerge from their long winter slumber to check on the weather on Candlemas, which is halfway between the winter solstice in December and the vernal equinox in March.

They believed that if the animals saw their shadows, winter would continue, and so they went back to sleep. But if they didn't see their shadow, an early spring was on its way.

Famed groundhog Punxsutawney Phil did not see his shadow Saturday morning in Pennsylvania. Neither did his fellow foreteller Staten Island Chuck.

In honor of this quirky American tradition, CNN iReport invited people to take a snapshot of their own shadows for a one-day photo challenge and then share their personal weather predictions.

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Lia Ocampo says she is tired of the frigid weather in Queens, New York, and hopes for an early spring. "Unfortunately, my shadow predicts a longer winter weather," she said. "That means we have to be patient, bundle up more and wait for the spring to come in time."

But Michael Goodling predicts the exact opposite. "Actually, I believe that temperatures will warm up a bit early this year because of the brutal sub-zero temps all across the country," he said.

Gooding, who recently returned to Springfield, Missouri, from Swaziland, says he has not seen snow in a long time. "I love snow. I would like to see a good, deep snow where I live. On the other hand, I love spring and how the flowers pop up, trees begin to leaf out," he said. "There is such a freshness to spring."

Kathi Cordsen, a long-time resident of Fullerton, California, predicts a shorter winter, too. "We don't really have a true winter here," she said. "Spring is going to come early as usual. Buds should be on the trees very soon."